Pneumatic suspension device for shaft-driven motor-vehicles.



T. A. KLENKE.

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

-1- I n q l g I w Q ifae Q :lgvo 5 14? Q Q V Q :35: i

W n a q ii & o

F m ii a) 1 l r I q I Q a WITNESSES INVENTOR 1 BY I I v Y AT RNEY.S

I T. A. KLENKE.

PNEUMATIO SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

1,1 19,020. Patented Dec. 1 1914.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

KTTORNEYS.

1 T. A. KLENKE. PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTORVEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR a BHEETS-SHBET s.-

v T. A. KLENKE. PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTORVEHICLES.

v APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912. 1,1 1 9,020.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

6 SHEETSSHEBT 4.

INVENTOR fi; AT RNEYJ,

T. A. KLENKE. PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTORVEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914 6 snnnTs snnm' 5'.

T. A. KLEN KE PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT DRIVEN MOTORVEHICLES APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

6 SHBETSSHEET e.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- THEODORE A. KLENKE, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO KIiENKE CUSHION m COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR SHAFT-DRIVEN MOTOR-VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. KLENKE, a citizenof the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic SuspensionDevices for Shaft-Driven Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

My improvement relates to pneumatic suspension devices for shaft drivenmotor vehicles.

It has for its object to so. connect a driving wheel of the vehicle withthe differential of the driving mechanism of the car as to permit theuse in such connection of a pneumatic cushion capable of beingcompressed vertically but protected from side strains and so as topermit the differential to be supported on the chassis or body of thecar and thus be itself cushioned, and preferably spring supported, andyet have the driving connections between it and the wheel direct andpositive and at the same time of such character as to permit verticalplay of the wheel without imparting side strains to the pneumaticcushion and also at the same time to permit of the use of a solid rearaxle.

It consists in the novel devices and combinations herein shown anddescribed.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming part hereofI have shown the preferred form of my improvement.

Referring to these drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the-rear axleand'wheels and the differential parts of a shaft driven car with thedriving connections between the wheels and the differential; Fig. 2'is avertical transverse section through a wheel and its connecting partstaken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal verticalsectionithrough a part of the driving connections with one of the wheelstaken on the lines 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section taken on the lines 4--4 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 isa rear view of part of the rear axle and one wheel and connections; Fig.6 is a vertical transverse section on the lines 6-6 of Fig. 4; and Fig.7 is a similar section taken on the lines 7-7 of Fig. 4.

1 represents the chassis'or body of the car, 2, 2 the rear wheels, 3 asolid rear axle, 4 the Specification of Iletters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1912. Serial No. 688,870.

I the difierential case.

, Patented Dec, 1, 1914 The difierential may be of any well knownvariety and is there,- fore not shown in full. The differential case iscarried on the chassis 1 by hangers 6. Each wheel is mounted on astub-axle 7 to which it is firmly secured. It rotates in bearings 8forming part of case 9 secured to the rigid rear axle 3. Stub-able 7carries at its inner end a beveled gear 10.

The driving connections between each wheel and its beveled gear and thedifferential are separate and distinct from-the similar drivingconnections of the other rear wheel. These connections are soconstructed as to be sufficiently flexible to permit vertical play ofthe wheel relative to the differential and yet furnish a direct andpositive drive. Each connection consists of shafts and gearing,preferably beveled gearing, with one or more universal joints to givethe flexibility above referred to. The specific mechanism shown consistsof a shaft 11 connected with one of the gears of the differential (notshown) having at its outer end a bevel gear 12 (Figs. 6 and 7). Thisgear meshes with a beveled gear 13 on shaft 14. This shaft is connectedwith shaft 15 by means of a universal joint 16 shown in dotted lines inFig. 1 in dust cover 17. A similar universal joint in dust cover 18connects shaft 15 with .short shaft 19. This shaft carries at its otherend a beveled gear 20 which meshes with beveled gear 10 on the Wheelstub-axle 7. A similar arrangement of shafts, beveled gears anduniversal Joints is wheel.

21 is a pneumatic cushion carried b the wheel. It is supported betweentwo p ates, a lower plate or support 22 carried by a steel band23'secured to flanges 24 dependent from box 9 and an upperplate orsupport 25, preferably curved, carried by pins 26 snugly fitting intocylindrical holes 27 of box 9 and secured to piece 28 fastened by boltsand clips 29 to spring 30. Springs 30 are secured in any usual way(notshown). to the body or chassis of the can. The weight of the carrests upon the pneumatic bags 21 through the upper supports 25 andconnections. By means of the'above construction the wheel and bodyof'the car,'including the differential, can have vertical lay withreference to one another and the provided for driving the other powershaft leading from the engine and -5 'ag can be compressed'b'etween itstwo'sup; 1'

ports,- but these supports are otherwise a unit so far as movement inall other directionsthan vertical is concerned, thus enlower end ofbracket 36 dependent from the chassis.

37, 37 are spring clamps for holding spring 31 in place. 38 is" the gearcase inclosing gears 12 and 13 w Inasmuch as the blow upon a wheeltravelin along a road comes upon the tire slightly 1n front of the pointon the tire cut by a, vertical line drawn from the center of the wheeland the line of ressure, due to the blow, is along a vertica ly upwardand rearwardly inclined line to the vertical, I: preferably tilt pins26, box 9, piece 28 and connecting parts so that the pneumatic cushionis held slightl I inadvance of a vertical line dropped mm the center ofthe wheel. This is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This is done bymaking the righthand downward projecting portion of woe 28. run a littlelower than the leftand downward projecting portion. This constructionrevents bindin of the pins 26 in holes 2 and enables a work togethermore easily and efliciently.

By means of my improvement a pneumatic bag can-be successfully employedin connection with the driving wheels of a shaft-driven car. a

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

I to move together as a unit.

1. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle, the combination 4 of a differentialconnected "with the powerv shaft of the vehicle and mounted on the bodyof the vehicle, a wheel stub axle for each rear wheel, a shaft and bevelgear connection between each wheel stub axle and the differentialcontaining a universal joint to permit vertical play of the wheel anddifferential, a pneumatic bag arranged between two supports, so as to beunconfined at its sides and free to expand and contract, one supportfast to the wheel stub axle and the other support connected to the bodyof the vehicle and resting on the pneumatic bag, and connections betweenthe two supports permittinghvertical play between them but causing temotherwise 2. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle, the combination of adifferential connected with the power shaft of the vehicle and mountedon the body of .the vehicle, a wheel of the parts to stub axle for eachrear wheel, a shaft and bevel gear connection between each wheel stubaxle and the differential containing a universal joint to permitvertical play of the wheel and differential, a pneumatic bag arrangedbetween two supports, so as to be 3. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle,the

combination of a differential connected with the power shaft of thevehicle and mounted on the body of the vehicle, a fixed solid rear axleconnected to the wheels of the vehicle, a wheel stub axle foreach rearwheel, a shaft and bevel gear connection between each wheel stub axleand the differ- ,entialcontaining a universal joint to per-.

mit vertical play of the wheel and differential, a pneumatic bag arraned between two supports, so as to be unco ned at its sides and free toexpand and contract, the lower support rigidly connected with the rearfixed axle and the upper support carried by' the body of the vehicle andresting on the pneumatic bag, and connections between the two supportspermitting vertical play between them but causing them to move'togetherin all other directions as a unit. 4

4. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle, the combination of a differentialconnected with the power shaft of the vehicle and a wheel stubaxle foreach rear wheel, a shaft and, bexel gear. connection between each wheelstub axle and the differential containing universal joints to permitvertical play of the wheel and differential, a pneumatic bag arrangedbetween two suports; so'as to be unconfined at its sides and reetoexpand and contract, one support fast to the wheel stub axle and theother support connected to the body of the vehicle and resting on thepneumatic bag, and connections between the two supports permittingvertical play between them a but causing them otherwise to move togetheras a unit.

5. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle, the combination of adifierentialconnected to the power shaft and mounted on the body of .t evehicle, a wheel stub axle for each rear wheel, a separate shaft andbevel gear connection between each wheel stub axle and the diiferential,each connection conas. i

.mounted on the body of' the vehicle,

- taining a universal joint to permitvertical play of the wheel anddifferential, a pneu-.

matic bag for each rear wheel arranged between two su ports, so as to beunconfined at one fast with the wheel stub axle and the other connectedwith the bodyof the vehicle, and connections between the twosuppermitting vertical play between them in; themto move togetherin allother directions as a unit.

- 6'. In a shaft-driven'motor vehicle, the

v combination of a difierential connected to the (power shaft andmounted on the body of e vehicle, a wheel stub axle for each rear wheel,a flexible driving connection between each wheel stub axle and thedifferential adapted to permit vertical play of the with the power shaftof the vehicle and mounted on the body of the vehicle, a wheel stub axlefor each rear wheel, a shaft and bevel gear connection between eachwheel stub axle and the difierential containing a universal joint topermit vertical play of the wheel and differential, a pneumatic bagarranged between two supports, so as to be unconfined at its sides andfree to expand and contract, one support fast to the wheel stub axle andthe other support connected to the body of the vehicle through a spring,and connections betweenthe two supports permitting vertical play betweenthem but causing them to move rigidly together in all other'directions.v

8. In a shaft-driven motor vehicle, the combination of a differentialconnected with the power shaft of the vehicle and mounted on the body ofthe vehicle, a wheel stub axle for each rear wheel, a shaft and bevelgear connection between each wheel stub axle and the differentialcontaining a universal joint to permit vertical play of the wheel anddiiferential, apneumatic bag arranged between two supports, so as to beunconfined at its sides and free to expand and contract, one supportfast to the wheel stub axle and the other support connected to the bodyof the vehicle and resting on the pneumatic bag, and connections betweenthe two supports permitting vertical play between them but causing themotherwise to move together as a unit, the pneumatic bag, its supportsand connections being all so arranged that the said sugports and bagwill be arranged along a line rawn from the center of the wheel runnindownwardly slightly forward of a perpen 'cular from the center of thewheel. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribin witnesses. T ODORE A. KLENKE.

Enwm SHEER, Joan O. Gamma.

